It has been known in the prior art to mount medical diagnostic equipment such as ultrasound or high frequency sound medical diagnostic apparatus on a mobile wheeled unit or vehicle whereby to make the medical diagnostic equipment mobile for movement throughout a medical facility or hospital.
From a safety standpoint, it is desirable that the mobile unit on which the diagnostic equipment is mounted be provided with a "dead man" brake to prevent unintended movement of the mobile unit. As is well known, the normal mode of operation of a normal dead man brake mechanism is for the brake to be engaged, with release of the brake occurring only when force is exerted by the operator on the brake operating handle. Thus, when the mobile unit is in the transport mode of operation (i.e., with the vehicle in motion), with a normal dead man brake mechanism, it is necessary for the operator to continuously exert manual force on the brake control handle to insure that the brake is disengaged during the transport mode.
However, the requirement inherent in the normal dead man brake mechanism that the operator constantly maintain pressure on the brake control handle to disengage the dead man brake restricts the operator's ability to maneuver the wheeled console during the medical diagnostic procedure, and prevents the operator from having free use of both hands during the medical diagnostic procedure.